Gillyflower – Matthiola incana

Common Name: Stock, Gillyflower

Botanical Name: Matthiola incana, ma-tee-O-la in-KAY-na

Decorative Life: Generally 5-8 days.

Flower Color: Pink, Purple, White, Yellow

Availability: Spring, Summer, Year Round

Flowers harvested with at least 6 open flower per stem had performed better after harvest than those harvested with 2 or less open flowers or those harvested with 3-5 open flowers (the so-called normal harvest).

32-34F.

• Named for Dr. Peter Andrew Matthioli, an Italian physician and botanist (1500-1577). The specific epithet name incana means hairy.
• In 16th century Saxony, people bred new colors of stock but each village was only allowed one color in order to keep the shades distinct.
• Single and double flower forms exist but the double forms are most desirable. Doubleness is genetically linked to light green leaves when grown at 50 F, so it is possible to select for 100% double flowers if seed strain is started in a greenhouse.
• First treat stems with a bleach solution (one teaspoon per gallon of water) for one hour before placing into a fresh flower food. Do NOT pound stem bases with a mallet as it will not improve water uptake.
• Cruciferae means cross, referring to the petals positioned as a cross. In obvious reference to Jesus and the crucifix.